36%

Hydroxycut Review: Does it Work?

One of the leading diet and weight loss supplements

What is it?

Hydroxycut is a weight loss brand that’s available in different forms, with common ingredients such as green coffee bean. They often use this ingredient to show that within 60 days, people lost 10.95 pounds versus a placebo.

The intended benefits of this brand are increased fat loss, energy, and enhanced metabolism. For their caffeine brands, they advise to start with just 1 capsule a day, then eventually building up to 2 capsules twice a day. Their Hydroxycut blend is a proprietary formula featuring fruit, green coffee, and saffron. In this review you’ll learn about the surprising company history, what customers have to say about it, and whether or not it’s a good weight loss supplement. The top 10 diet pills are featured in this comprehensive list.

Robusta Coffee Extract (45% Chlorogenic Acid): Unroasted Robusta coffee, which is a species of coffee bean known for its higher bitterness and acidity.

It’s intended to help improve metabolism and control blood sugar. It can potentially cause side effects that include:

Insomnia, nausea, and agitation.

Anxiety, rapid heart rate, and difficulty concentrating.

Restlessness, ringing in the ears, and headaches.

A study is provided by the manufacturers to show how effective this ingredient is versus a placebo.

The study was funded by a company who sells this extract, so there’s a potential for bias. In this study they took 50 volunteers and made them follow a low calorie diet.

Other unbiased studies have shown this ingredient to be ineffective for weight loss. Examine.com adds:

“seems weakly to moderately effective (on fat loss)”

It’s possible the only reason for fat loss is due to the caffeine.

Saffron Extract: Plant extract that’s used in cooking, as well as a way to improve mood and reduce sickness. Though there isn’t sufficient studies about its use. Web MD adds:

“There isn’t enough information to know how saffron might work”

“Taking large amounts of saffron by mough is POSSIBLY UNSAFE”

Possible side effects include:

Yellowing of the skin and eyes.

Poisoning.

Vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and numbness.

Death.

When taken at large amounts there have been cases of people dying from this.

Caffeine Anhydrous: Dehydrated form of caffeine that stimulates the central nervous system, it increaseses energy and metabolism.

A full serving of Hydroxycut Pro Clinical, their flagship brand, has 400 mg per daily serving. This is the maximum allowed limit for caffeine, and due to this, the company mentions:

“Do not take within 5 hours of bedtime”

“Consume 8 to 10 glasses of water per day”

This is to avoid both insomnia and dehydration. They also advise to not take any other stimulants, since it would likely raise the risk for serious side effects. Though on its own, it can potentially cause:

Anxiety, agitation, and pain in the chest.

Rapid heart rate, tremors, and jitters.

Cardiovascular damage, insomnia, and restlessness.

Dehydration, headaches, and mood swings.

Caffeine also has limitations, as Examine.com adds:

“Habitual caffeine use leads to tolerance. This means the effects of caffeine will be diminished… where the only benefit a user experiences is caffeine’s anti-sleep effect”

Therefore, caffeine must be only taken for short periods before it loses its potential weight loss effects.

Certain people are much more sensitive to caffeine, and that’s why it’s advised to slowly introduce this brand, and to not take more than just 1 pill to start with.

Maqui: A berry found in parts of Latin America, it’s used to help with weight loss. However, Web MD adds:

“There isn’t enough information to know if maqui is safe”

The possible side effects are also not known.

Amla Extract: This fruit has been used to lower bad cholesterol, and to provide antioxidant support. Though Examine.com adds:

“there is not enough evidence to recommend Amla for any particular purpose”

EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this supplement with a proven fat burner such as Sletrokor for better results.

Hydroxycut Quality of Ingredients

Ingredients like amla, maqui, and saffron have not been thoroughly studied and it’s unknown if they would affect weight loss.

Then there’s the added caffeine and green coffee bean which are the key active ingredients. Caffeine can be replaced with coffee or tea for cheaper and green coffee bean hasn’t shown any valuable weight loss effects. Studies have shown it to be either ineffective, or weak in its possible weight loss effects.

For the kinds of ingredients used, the lack of clinical studies for some ingredients, and the unknown side effects of certain additives, this mixture is a poor choice for weight loss. There are far too many unanswered questions to determine what the formula might do.

The Price and Quality of Hydroxycut

Sales are not offered via the manfaucturer, but they do suggest multiple online and in store 3rd party retailers.

Amazon.com sells one 150 capsule bottle for $28.56. At the maximum dosage of 4 capsules a day, this lasts for a total of 37.5 days. This makes the daily cost for supplementation 76 cents.

Though inexpensive, many of the ingredinets in this are either innefective for weight loss, not yet proven, or can be replaced.

Caffeine at 400 mg is roughly 4 cups of coffee. That’s why special considerations must be put in place to help protect against side effects. Still, the key active ingredients in caffeine and green coffee bean extract aren’t enough to suggest both reliable and safe effects. These two ingredients can also be replaced for much cheaper.

Business of Hydroxycut

The owners of this brand are Iovate Health Sciences Inc. They can be reached via the following:

The FTC fined them $5.5 million dollars for making false advertising claims about their supplements. This included stating that their brands had positive health benefits, and because of this, they were required to refund customers who bought supplements from them.

The FDA also sent them a warning letter due to:

“liver toxicity associated with the use of multiple versions of the dietary supplement Hydroxycut”

“Agency has concluded that the ingestion of the dietary supplement Hydroxycut presents a severe potentially life-threatening hazard to some users”

This forced the company to schedule a mandatory recall on all Hydroxycut on the market. There were 23 reports of severe health problems due to this supplement, and one person died from it.

After this, in 2012 and 2013 there were still incidents of heart problems and ulcers associated the use of Hydroxycut.

They currently have 6 complaints on their Better Business Bureau website. This is due to issues with service, the products, and a lack of communication from the company.

EDITOR’S TIP: For the best results, our experts recommend using weight loss pills for at least 3 months. Save your money by buying a few bottles at once.

Customer Opinions of Hydroxycut

Here are select reviews from online customers:

“I really don’t have any effect using this product”

“Made me feel super sick and dizzy”

“It’s mostly a glorified caffeine pill”

“I had severe nausea, abdominal pain and felt like my stomach was on fire”

Amazon.com currently features 535 complaints. It’s often mentioned from customers that they experienced side effects, as well as a lack of weight loss.

Many also said this is basically just a caffeine pill, and that it had no noticeable weight loss effects.

Conclusion - Does Hydroxycut Work?

The key features to notice about this brand are the company history, and the kinds of ingredients used. Many customers have failed to see any weight loss benefits, and people describe it as a caffeine pill. This is likely because the only ingredeints in this that might have a weight loss effect are caffeine and green coffee extract. There’s not enough in this to suggest it would help benefit people. The company has also had to recall Hydroxycut due to serious health concerns. There’s also a lot of caffeine added to this, with a full serving providing the maximum recommended dosage strength for caffeine.

There’s only natural ingredients added to this blend, with the ability to suppress appetite, increase metabolism, and improve mood. Many users have left great testimonials showcasing how effective and safe it is. This supplement has no artificial ingredients, preservatives, or stimulants of any kind.

Wikipedia

Hydroxycut is a nutritional supplement marketed by Iovate Health Sciences Inc., designed to help consumers lose weight. It is sold at conventional retailers, such as GNC and Wal-Mart, online retailers such as and , and through direct television marketing.

User Feedback

(Page 1 of 41, 801 total comments)

Kevin

I just started using the product and it does work. 15 days of walking and taking the product, Pants that were a couple of buttons out now fit. The problem I have with it is insomnia. I started taking the product at 3 in the morning. I usually get up around 2. Anyway, that seemed to take care of the sleep disorder. Lots of water is very important. GL and God Bless..

posted Mar 2nd, 2017 6:35 am

jen

TYPO: Taking large amounts of saffron by **mough*** is POSSIBLY UNSAFE

posted Jan 9th, 2017 4:31 am

Ankia

Im very into fitness..been struggling a bit with extra fat ..thought i should try it..took my first pill yesterday..halfway through my workout i was Exstreamly nauseous and dizzy..i was shaky and pale and couldnt finish my workout..i drank allot of water and didnt take the pill again..now im sitiing wide awake ..i cant sleep at all..im bloated and gassy and very uncomfortable and still nausious..I WOULDNT RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE...THIS IS A HORRIBLE FEELING TO BE SO SICK AND FEELING LIKE YOU WANT TO PASS OUT!! Detox it and get it out your system!!

posted Jan 3rd, 2017 9:00 pm

Jordan

+

To everyone wondering about this product:
I have used this twice in my life before, and I am currently on my third cycle in the last 6 years. This is BY FAR the best supplement for combined fat burning & appetite suppression out there on the market (coming from someone used to shedding the additional pounds to get the tone and definition I have been looking for over those 6 years).

The people who complain about the abdominal pains are just finding excuses not to take it, or they are the people with other diet/activity choices or preexisting conditions that leads to that abdominal pain.
Take ANY other appetite suppression and I PROMISE you that you'll feel the same abdominal pains--it's called your stomach shrinking and the "old" you trying to convince you to eat more food.

A tip to avoid the pains from being anywhere near as excruciating as people have described: don't use a daily caloric deficit of greater than 500 calories. This means that your caloric intake should be 500 cals less basal metabolic rate. This will allow you to feel a bit fuller throughout the day because you'll have higher calorie content in your bigger meals.
To go along with that tip, try to get up in the morning, take your first dose, get ready for work, then make a FAT breakfast. The only time I usually ever even notice that I'm taking it, is in the morning when your stomach is already coming off of a "fasting" cycle (aka sleep).

To address some of the people who are running their asses off or doing HIIT cardio to burn fat while taking hydroxycut: I would recommend that you simply change your fat burning strategy while taking hydroxycut. My cardio regimen consists of long duration & moderate speed walking. This is the same effect as HIIT/Interval cardio (slightly less effective, but the same core concepts of burning fat rather than muscle proteins for energy sources during workouts). You'll find that you don't need to do much more than lift weights, do moderate cardio (NOT intense cardio), and keep your diet in check (no processed foods whenever possible, high protein/lower carb/moderate fats for your calorie composition).

I DO agree with the people saying that taking the doses on-time is much more difficult than you think, but it is quite critical to do so in order to avoid some of the symptoms...

Follow the instructions, look on bodybuilding.com forums for people who have had successful hydroxycut "cuts" or fat loss in general from the product. Those people can offer valuable insight to help you succeed--don't forget, we are all different specimens at different parts of our voyages to have the bodies of our life!! Find someone who was close to your starting position who SUCCEEDED with their regimen...and you will be pleased with the results. :)

posted Jan 21st, 2015 7:27 pm

Hannah

-

Hydroxycut really does work, infact it does everything that the company says it would. Extreme energy, and an appetite suppressant but the side effects are terrible! I bought Hydroxycut Hardcore elite powder. The first day i started off with just one scoop and had so much energy that i ran 45 mins on the treadmill at 6mph. ( a lotttt for me!) I was also very shaky. about 2 hours later i got nauseous and had so abdominal pain but it went away after drinking about a gallon of water. The next day i stepped it up and took two scoops , again ran for about an hour and all was good. Later that night i woke up with THE WORST abdominal pain of my life! I was throwing up, and had bad diarrhea. No mater what i did i felt terrible even after drinking tons of water. a few days later i was not able to keep down and type of food or drink so i went to the hospital and got many tests and scans done. I was diagnosed with GP stomach disease I am devastated and now am going threw surgery to fix the hole in my stomach. I am not an over dramatic person, and i have quite a high pain tolerance. Excuse my language but hydroxycut fucked me up! If your considering taking hydroxycut i ask that you strongly reconsider. It is TERRIBLE for the liver and has been linked to a 19 years old boys death. Beware of this product! Maybe my body reacted to this on a more severe scale but it is not worth the risk! if you want to know a little more about GP here we go Gastroparesis and Dysmotilities: What do they mean?

Gastroparesis is a severe neuromuscular disorder of the stomach that results in a partially or completely paralyzed stomach. Individuals suffer with a spectrum of symptoms collectively known as dyspepsia. These symptoms range from nausea, vomiting, belching, reflux (stomach acid washing into the mouth), early satiety (a feeling of fullness after a few bites of food), abdominal pain or bloating, a change in bowel habits, and weight loss. People with gastroparesis may experience a substantial loss in quality of life to the point of being housebound for months at a time.

posted Jul 2nd, 2014 7:11 pm

` R

Just a comment. This post begins with the so called 'news' that t is being recalled by the FDA, of all people ! Really ? Who trusts the FDA, except those whose benefit it is to pay them off to get their products on the market. We see the Class Action suits now taking place against many of the products that the FDA DID approve. I say it's a perfect 'reverse barometer' When the FDA is against it, then it's probably very good. So now I'll RUN, now walk to get my first bottle of Hydroxycut and follow directions. By the way, they DO say that you will experience some of these side effects at first... so cut back, already. Oh, and it's a CANADIAN company, generally with some integrity. A big threat to an multi-zillion US. Pharmacuetical industry, selling us death. Use your head, will you, please ? Can't wait to get mine ~~

posted Aug 11th, 2013 2:32 am

Erica

?

Is it safe to drink the hydroxy cut instant drinks and take the hydroxy cut pills together
I have been hearing u can drink the instant drinks and take the pills at the same time for better results and I was wondering if this is true or false

I tiried the sprinkles they say it does not alter the food taste WRONG it tastes awful i thought it was just me but had my mom taste it just once and she said it was bitter. have not used since..

posted Mar 28th, 2013 1:11 pm

Dave

-

I bought the sprinkles, says it will not alter the taste of food? Will it does and taste like dirty feet. I tried to contact Hydroxycut to ask if this is a bad batch or what? The phone number on the box is just a recording to go to the web site and the web site just a place trying to sell you more products. The taste of this product and unable to contact this company makes me fell they are trying to hind something, I threw out the rest of the product and don't want to use hydroxycut again.

posted Mar 19th, 2013 6:48 pm

shell

-

made me shaky, and my heart was beating fast, kinda scared me, will not be taking this anymore

posted Mar 11th, 2013 6:14 am

reyna

-

don't recommend this product made feel sick i have stomach aches, nause, and my head is spining everywhere. my heart beat is rapidly.... don't take it

posted Feb 23rd, 2013 2:43 am

Rachel

There are always exclusions. First off if you&#039;re taking a diet pill you are already over looking some health concerns! Secondly, for those of you acting like you almost died from this product, how long did you take it? If it was longer than 2 weeks, shame on you! Pay more attention to your body! No one made you take it. If it was less than 2 weeks, how could you be so sick from just this pill? You probably already had something wrong with you to begin with. People are so dramatic! This is an optional product. Try it and if it doesn&#039;t work for you then stop using it! Simple! For me personally, I took the pills and lost 10 lbs in a month! Great! That was 2012! I&#039;m taking the drink mix now and I have been following the directions to exactly! NO PROBLEMS! Again, i have already lost 5 lbs in a week! The box and the pill bottle clearly tell you to try this to get used to it. If you don&#039;t follow the directions then expect self-inflicted problems! Drink water! EAT don&#039;t starve yourselves! EXERCISE you can&#039;t just sit on your lazy but and expect the pill to perform magic! Oh and those 10 lbs stayed off last year even after I stopped taking the pill but I did not just start eating 20 to times a day, I did however start snacking between my 3 meals because you directed not to snack while taking the product!

posted Feb 8th, 2013 6:47 pm

Mit

-

This is my first day trying it and I have really bad heart burn. I can not sleep eventhough I took one pill at lunch. My stomach also feels very funny. This medication is going back to the store. Oh and I just read that many products have been recalled due to liver damage>>> Not GOOD.

posted Jul 24th, 2012 4:33 am

Jimmy

-

I took hydroxycut for a week having pains in my legs back and in my stomach like cramps sped up my heart and chest pains and I am at the hospital right now

posted Jul 2nd, 2012 10:37 pm

Irene Rivera Kjergaard

Tried this one. I lost weight, but it gave me the shakes and made me nauseated. Also gave me severe heartburn if I wasn't able to eat in time.

Hydroxycut is a product that "really" does work. I have used it on an off over the last several years and I have experienced phenomenal weight loss. I am very concerned about the cases of liver damage that have been said to be linked to it. I would like to use it again but I have a daughter who needs me. I don't want to voluntarily do anything that will decrease our time together. I hope that the makers of the product will do what is needed to prove that their product is safe. Hydroxycut works but it's not worth losing your life over. A little extra discipline and prayer goes a long way. Make the best choice for you.

posted Mar 12th, 2012 3:45 pm

glenda

ive not tried this new one yet but the old one was very good i had no problems with the old ones before taking off the market i wish they put the old ones back on the market because i was almost 300 lbs after taking them i was 160lbs

posted Jan 26th, 2012 7:58 pm

AnonAndOn

For those of you claiming the pill did nothing for you, you could be right. But to say you didn't see any results after working out is just just ludicrous. You're either A.) Lying and didn't work out at all - therefore any results would be minimal B.) Consumed more calories than you burned (due to weak exercise regimen or bad diet) or C.) Have a genetic predisposition which inhibits fat loss. I don't know how good these things are for you - probably not very - but to say you exercised, drank the recommended amount of water and took the pill with no results is likely due to user error, not the pill's. If it were the fault of the pill, it would have to be actively working against your metabolism to keep you from losing weight, which make these I-did-everything-right-with-no-results reviews highly suspect.

posted Jan 5th, 2012 12:16 am

jake

+

lost 20 lbs in a month with it,

posted Jan 2nd, 2012 6:20 pm

fayachinee

kinda work !!! but i ve a question , what if I missed one day ? cuz too much work and I forgot about it ? any side effect then or negative results ?

Once making headlines for containing a controversial herb, Ephedra, banned by the FDA, Hydroxycut now offers an Ephedra-free product that claims to increase metabolism and energy while curbing your appetite, cutting calories and maintaining blood sugar.

When Hydroxycut is combined with a diet and exercise regimen, the product claims to help users shed two-to-three times more weight that without. When taking Hydroxycut, it is suggested that users commit to consistent exercise and a low-calorie diet. Take Hydroxycut half-to-one hour prior to meals with eight ounces of water.

Take two caplets with eight ounce of water as a dietary supplement 3 times per day approximately 30-60 minutes before each meal. Do not snack after dinner. Consume 10 eight ounce glasses of water per day. Do not take within five hours of bedtime. For best results, use Hydroxycut for eight weeks with a low-calorie diet and exercise program. For the first three days of the program, take one capsule three times per day. From day four beyond, take two capsules three times per day.

DIET and NUTRITION

There is no clear advice from Hydroxycut on an eating plan. You are encouraged to sticky to a healthy diet while taking the supplement. This kind of flexibility allows you to choose a plan of your liking.

For those with food allergies- Hydroxycut is a gluten-free product.

EXERCISE

No guidance provided.

CONCLUSION

ConsumerHealthDigest.com conducted research of 30 dietary supplements. Scoring 3 on a scale of 1-5 for metabolism enhancement, weight-loss potential and ingredient control and 4 on a scale of 1-5 for appetite suppression, Hydroxycut ranked number 11.

The information provided within this site is strictly for the purposes of information only and is not a replacement or substitute for professional advice, doctors visit or treatment. The provided content on this site should serve, at most, as a companion to a professional consult. It should under no circumstance replace the advice of your primary care provider. You should always consult your primary care physician prior to starting any new fitness, nutrition or weight loss regime.